Hostname: page-component-745bb68f8f-f46jp Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2025-01-27T19:37:45.721Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Loneliness and social support among lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex people aged 50 and over

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 July 2015

MARK HUGHES
MARK HUGHES*
Affiliation:
School of Arts and Social Sciences, Southern Cross University, Coolangatta, Australia.
*
Address for correspondence: Mark Hughes, School of Arts and Social Sciences, Southern Cross University, Locked Mail Bag 4, Coolangatta, QLD 4225, Australia E-mail: mark.hughes@scu.edu.au
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Loneliness is a debilitating condition with particular negative health effects, including psychological distress. While the vast majority of older people do not experience significant degrees of loneliness, a minority do and there are some reports that this is even greater among lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) seniors. This article examines the experience of loneliness and social support among LGBTI people aged 50 and over living in New South Wales, Australia. It also explores their interest in participating in social and health-promoting activities. Findings from an online survey delivered to 312 people are reported. Loneliness was associated with living alone, not being in a relationship, higher psychological distress and lower mental health. Nonetheless, most respondents reported that they are able to gain support from both biological family and friends if they need it in a crisis. The social and health-promoting activities that were most preferred among all respondents were fitness groups, walking groups, swimming and meditation. Those who experienced the greatest degree of loneliness were much more likely than those who were less lonely to want to participate in social and health-promoting activities with other LGBTI people. The findings indicate scope for community organisations to develop targeted interventions, such as those social and health-promoting activities most preferred by the participants of this study.

Keywords

lonelinesspsychological distresssocial supportlesbiangaybisexualtransgenderintersex
Type
Articles
Information
Ageing & Society , Volume 36 , Issue 9 , October 2016 , pp. 1961 - 1981
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2015 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Adelman, M., Gurevitch, J., de Vries, B. and Blando, J. 2006. Openhouse: community building and research in the LGBT aging population. In Kimmel, D., Rose, T. and David, S. (eds), Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Aging: Research and Clinical Perspectives. Columbia University Press, New York, 247–64.Google Scholar
American Psychiatric Association 2013. Gender Dysphoria: Fact Sheet. Available online at http://www.psychiatry.org/dsm5 [Accessed 9 May 2015].Google Scholar
Andrews, G. 2002. A brief integer scorer for the SF-12: validity of the brief scorer in Australian community and clinic settings. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health, 26, 6, 508–10.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Australian Bureau of Statistics 2011. Australian Health Survey: First Results, 2011–12. Available online at http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/Lookup/4364.0.55.001main+features12011-12 [Accessed 25 February 2015].Google Scholar
Barrett, C., Whyte, C., Comfort, J., Lyons, A. and Crameri, P. 2015. Social connection, relationships and older lesbian and gay people. Sexual and Relationship Therapy, 30, 1, 131–42.Google Scholar
Bayliss, K. 2000. Social work values, anti-discriminatory practice and working with older lesbian service users. Social Work Education, 19, 1, 45–53.Google Scholar
Cattan, M., White, M., Bond, J. and Learmouth, A. 2005. Preventing social isolation and loneliness among older people: a systematic review of health promotion interventions. Ageing & Society, 25, 1, 41–67.Google Scholar
Collins, C. C. and Benedict, J. 2006. Evaluation of a community-based health promotion program for the elderly: lessons from Seniors CAN. American Journal of Health Promotion, 21, 1, 45–8.Google Scholar
Cornwell, E. and Waite, L. 2009. Social disconnectedness, perceived isolation, and health among older adults. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 50, 1, 31–48.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Coyle, C. and Dugan, E. 2012. Social isolation, loneliness and health among older adults. Journal of Aging and Health, 24, 1, 1346–63.Google Scholar
Cronin, A. 2004. Sexuality in gerontology: a heteronormative presence, a queer absence. In Daatland, S. O. and Biggs, S. (eds), Ageing and Diversity: Multiple Pathways and Cultural Migrations. Policy Press, Bristol, UK, 107–22.Google Scholar
D'Augelli, A., Grossman, A., Hershberger, S. and O'Connell, T. 2001. Aspects of mental health among older lesbian, gay, and bisexual adults. Aging and Mental Health, 5, 2, 149–58.Google Scholar
de Jong Gierveld, J., Broese van Groenou, M., Hoogendoorn, A. and Smit, J. 2009. Quality of marriages in later life and emotional and social loneliness. Journals of Gerontology: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences, 64B, 4, 497–506.Google Scholar
de Jong Gierveld, J. and Dykstra, P. 2008. Virtue is its own reward? Support-giving in the family and loneliness in middle and old age. Ageing & Society, 28, 2, 271–87.Google Scholar
de Jong Gierveld, J. and Kamphuis, F. 1985. The development of a Rasch-type loneliness scale. Applied Psychological Measurement, 9, 3, 289–99.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Department of Health and Ageing 2012. National Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex LGBTI Ageing and Aged Care Strategy. Commonwealth of Australia, Canberra.Google Scholar
Dykstra, P. 2009. Older adult loneliness: myths and realities. European Journal of Ageing, 6, 2, 91–100.Google Scholar
Dykstra, P., van Tilburg, T. and de Jong Gierveld, J. 2005. Changes in older adult loneliness: results from a seven-year longitudinal study. Research on Aging, 27, 6, 725–47.Google Scholar
Fokkema, T. and Kuyper, L. 2009. The relation between social embeddedness and loneliness among older lesbian, gay, and bisexual adults in the Netherlands. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 38, 2, 264–75.Google Scholar
Ghorayeb, D. B. and Dalgalarrondo, P. 2010. Homosexuality: mental health and quality of life in a Brazilian socio-cultural context. International Journal of Social Psychiatry, 57, 5, 496–500.Google Scholar
Grossman, A. H., D'Augelli, A. R. and Hershberger, S. L. 2000. Social support networks of lesbian, gay, and bisexual adults 60 years of age and older. Journals of Gerontology, 55B, 3, P171–9.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hawkley, L. and Cacioppo, J. 2010. Loneliness matters: a theoretical and empirical review of consequences and mechanisms. Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 40, 2, 218–27.Google Scholar
Hawthorne, G. 2008. Perceived social isolation in a community sample: its prevalence and correlates with aspects of people's lives. Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology, 43, 2, 140–50.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Heaphy, B. 2007. Sexualities, gender and ageing: resources and social change. Current Sociology, 55, 2, 193–210.Google Scholar
Holt-Lunstad, J., Smith, T. and Layton, B. 2010. Social relationships and mortality risk: a meta-analytic review. PLoS Medicine, 7, 7, e1000316.Google Scholar
Honigh-de Vlaming, R., Haveman-Nies, A., Bos-Oude Groeniger, I. and van't Veer, P. 2014. Determinants of trends in loneliness among Dutch older people over the period 2005–2010. Journal of Aging and Health, 26, 3, 422–40.Google Scholar
Hughes, M. 2007. Older lesbians and gays accessing health and aged care services. Australian Social Work, 60, 2, 197–209.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hughes, M. 2010. Expectations of later life support among lesbian and gay Queenslanders. Australasian Journal on Ageing, 29, 4, 161–6.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hughes, M., Waite, L., Hawkley, L. and Cacioppo, J. 2004. A short scale for measuring loneliness in large surveys: results from two population-based studies. Research on Aging, 26, 6, 655–72.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kessler, R.C., Andrews, G., Colpe, L. J., Hiripi, E., Mroczek, D. K., Normand, S. L., Walters, E. E. and Zaslavsky, A.M. 2002. Short screening scales to monitor population prevalences and trends in non-specific psychological distress. Psychological Medicine, 32, 6, 959–76.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Koc, Z. 2012. Determination of older people's level of loneliness. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 21, 21/22, 3037–46.Google Scholar
Kong, T. S. K. 2012. A fading Tongzhi heterotopia: Hong Kong older gay men's use of spaces. Sexualities, 15, 8, 896–916.Google Scholar
Lev, A. I. 2013. Gender dysphoria: two steps forward, one step back. Clinical Social Work Journal, 41, 3, 288–96.Google Scholar
Lin, I. and Wu, H. 2014. Intergenerational exchange and expected support among the young-old. Journal of Marriage and Family, 76, 2, 261–71.Google Scholar
MacKean, R. and Abbott-Chapman, J. 2012. Older people's perceived health and wellbeing: the contribution of peer-run community-based organisations. Health Sociology Review, 21, 1, 47–57.Google Scholar
Meltzer, H., Begginton, P., Dennis, M. S., Jenkins, R., McManus, S. and Brugha, T. S. 2013. Feelings of loneliness among adults with mental disorder. Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology, 48, 1, 5–13.Google Scholar
Newman, R. and Price, E. 2012. Meeting the needs of LGBT people affected by dementia: the story of the LGBT Dementia Support Group. In Ward, R., Rivers, I. and Sutherland, M. (eds), Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Ageing: Biographical Approaches for Inclusive Care and Support. Jessica Kingsley, London, 183–95.Google Scholar
Persson, D. I. 2009. Unique challenges of transgender aging: implications from the literature. Journal of Gerontological Social Work, 52, 6, 633–46.Google Scholar
Phongsavan, P., Grunseit, A. C., Bauman, A., Broom, D., Byles, J., Clarke, J., Redman, S. and Nutbeam, D. 2013. Age, gender, social contacts, and psychological distress: findings from the 45 and Up Study. Journal of Aging and Health, 25, 6, 921–43.Google Scholar
Routasalo, P., Tilvis, R., Kautiainen, H. and Pitkala, K. 2009. Effects of psychosocial group rehabilitation on social functioning, loneliness and well-being of lonely, older people: randomized controlled trial. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 65, 2, 297–305.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Russell, D., Peplau, L. and Cutrona, C. 1980. The Revised UCLA Loneliness Scale: concurrent and discriminant validity evidence. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 39, 3, 472–80.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Salyers, M., Bosworth, H., Swanson, J., Lamb-Pagone, J. and Osher, F. 2000. Reliability and validity of the SF-12 Health Survey among people with severe mental illness. Medical Care, 38, 11, 1141–50.Google Scholar
Sample, I. 2014. Loneliness twice as unhealthy as obesity for older people, study finds. The Guardian. Available online at http://www.theguardian.com/science/2014/feb/16/loneliness-twice-as-unhealthy-as-obesity-older-people [Accessed 25 February 2015].Google Scholar
Sanderson, K. and Andrews, G. 2002. The SF-12 in the Australian population: cross-validation of item selection. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health, 26, 4, 343–5.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Savikko, N., Routasalo, P., Tilvis, R. and Pitkälä, K. 2010. Psychosocial group rehabilitation for lonely older people: favourable processes and mediating factors of the intervention leading to alleviated loneliness. International Journal of Older People Nursing, 5, 1, 16–24.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Schnittger, R. I. B., Wherton, J., Prendergast, D. and Lawlor, B. 2012. Risk factors and mediating pathways of loneliness and social support in community-dwelling older adults. Aging and Mental Health, 16, 3, 335–46.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Shiovitz-Ezra, S. and Leitsch, S. 2010. The role of social relationships in predicting loneliness: the National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project. Social Work Research, 34, 3, 157–67.Google Scholar
Steed, L., Boldy, D., Grenade, L. and Iredell, H. 2007. The demographics of loneliness among older people in Perth, Western Australia. Australasian Journal on Ageing, 26, 2, 81–6.Google Scholar
Stewart, M., Craig, D., MacPherson, K. and Alexander, S. 2001. Promoting positive affect and diminishing loneliness of widowed seniors through a support intervention. Public Health Nursing, 18, 1, 54–63.Google Scholar
Traies, J. 2015. Old lesbians in the UK: community and friendship. Journal of Lesbian Studies, 19, 1, 35–49.Google Scholar
Victor, C. R., Burholt, V. and Martin, W. 2012. Loneliness and ethnic minority elders in Great Britain: an exploratory study. Journal of Cross-cultural Gerontology, 27, 1, 65–78.Google Scholar
Ware, J., Kosinski, M. and Keller, S. 1996. A 12-item short-form health survey. Medical Care, 34, 3, 220–33.Google Scholar
Wilkens, J. 2015. Loneliness and belongingness in older lesbians: the role of social groups as ‘community’. Journal of Lesbian Studies, 19, 2, 90–101.Google Scholar
Wilson, D., Harris, A., Hollis, V. and Mohankumar, D. 2010. Upstream thinking and health promotion planning for older adults at risk of social isolation. International Journal of Older People Nursing, 6, 4, 282–8.Google Scholar